Malaria Indicator Survey on progress

 

The malaria indicator survey (MIS) of 2011, which is conducted by the Ethiopian Health and Nutrition Research Institute (EHNRI) in collaboration with partners, is on progress, the survey organizers indicated.

 

According to Ato Ashenafi Assefa (Leader, Malaria, Parasitic and Other Vector Born Diseases Research Team (MPVT)) the national follow-up survey, which is on the data analysis stage is undertaken for the purpose of measuring the progress of malaria prevention and control efforts undertaken since 2007 and distinguishes whether the goals set forth in the FMOH National Strategic Plan for Malaria Prevention, Control and Elimination 2005-2010 were achieved. 

 

In addition to that the survey is expected to complement the Health Management Information System and other data collected on an annual basis to provide a more comprehensive picture of the malaria-related burden for the population at risk in the country, particularly as the FMOH embarks on its next HSDP IV and the implementation of its National Strategic Plan for Malaria Prevention, Control and Elimination 2011 – 2015, added Ato Ashenafi. 

 

It is indicated that the findings of the MIS will be important to document the progress and impact of malaria prevention and control efforts in Ethiopia. It also measure progress toward the 2010 Roll Back Malaria (RBM) targets and serve as an important source of data for advocacy of continued malaria support by funding sources.

 

It is believed that the survey will provide the Ministry and its partners a set of synthesized and readily consumable reports that will help in planning future interventions, additional MIS-2011 database comparable to the MIS-2007 and a sufficiently rich set of data on national and regional representative prevalence of malaria, service delivery coverage, utilization of anti-malaria services, treatment seeking behavior of communities.

 

The findings of the survey are expected to be released officially at the end of April 2012.